'I'm sure the damage was 10's of thousands': College kids get payback on a greedy landlord who wrongfully kept their deposit money by befriending the new tenants and trashing the house

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Jesse Kessenheimer • Writer and Editor
Jun 8, 2024 9:00 AM EDT

Don't mess with college kids–what they lack in financial resources, they make up for in social alliances. 

The college kids in our next story were incredibly resourceful when it came to revenge. After a year of living in a house near campus, they spent days cleaning up the place so that they could get back their deposit (which was more than 4 months' rent!). With the house neat and tidy they had no doubts they'd be getting back some cash at the end of the year, but their greedy landlord used a petty clause in their paperwork claiming they violated their lease by not providing a future address to forward the check. 

Angry that they lost thousands of dollars, the housemates banded together to form an epic revenge plan that required another year of planning to execute. Scroll for the entire story of how these kids got payback against a greedy landlord by befriending his new tenants, throwing a rager end-of-the-year party, and trashing their old house. 

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  • 01
    The deposit was 4 months rent, so we spent days cleaning... He kept the entire deposit
    via canva
  • 02
    Okids4now Back in college, I had a landlord who did this. The deposit was 4 months rent, so we spent days cleaning to make sure it was in better shape than when we moved in.
    via 0kids4now
  • 03
    He kept the entire deposit because the lease said all tenants should provide a forwarding address 2 months before moving out.
    via 0kids4now
  • 04
    Since not everyone did, he said we violated the lease and kept the deposit for all of us. Apparently he did the same thing to students every year, always with some technicality.
    via 0kids4now
  • 05
    So the next year, we befriended the people who lived there and let them know they weren't getting their deposit back. After
    via 0kids4now
  • 06
    finals, before they moved out, they threw a huge party and completely trashed the place. Spray painted walls, broke windows, set up an
    via 0kids4now
  • 07
    inflatable pool that popped and flooded a bedroom. There was even some fire damage because people were putting out cigarettes
    via 0kids4now
  • 08
    on the carpet and it caught. I'm sure the damage was in the tens of thousands. I have no idea how it turned out for them, but it was one of a party!
    via 0kids4now
  • 09
    rsvihla 5 hr. ago Yeah, those loser tenants were on the hook for any damages beyond the security deposit. That was a move. No offense.
    via rsvihla
  • 10
    mgtkuradal. 5 hr. ago Scamming broke college students is also a move, it's difficult to have sympathy
    via mgtkuradal
  • 11
    GetTheFalkOut 11 hr. ago Landlords also don't like to follow or know laws unless it helps them. I'm just waiting for my former landlord to pass the 31 day
    via GetTheFalkOut
  • 12
    mark of not returning or notifying me about my deposit or it's uses so he is legally obligated to return it all. Not my fault he doesn't pay attention to the laws
    via GetTheFalkOut
  • 13
    rdizzy1223.6 hr. ago I have had MUCH MUCH better luck with massively large, corporate landlords compared to smaller independent landlords, when it comes to following the laws correctly, and returning security deposits as well. Might just be my own anecdotal experience though.
    via rdizzy1223.6
  • 14
    D Sharkbitesandwich 15 hr. ago Scumbags, I've left places in condition that a new tenant can just walk in and take the place, but the landlord claims oh, we had to clean the unit,
    via Sharkbitesandwich
  • 15
    for $250. I don't believe that!!! My last apartment the landlord had to replace the heating element in the stove, he did after I moved out. Two
    via Sharkbitesandwich
  • 16
    weeks later he's claiming I left my BBQ tools in the bottom broiler and the new tenant burned up the stove and nearly burnt the apartment down. Somehow that's my
    via Sharkbitesandwich
  • 17
    fault and he needs to charge me for replacing the stove and fire clean up. I'm like not my problem and you touched the stove last so that's all on you!!!! I'll sue you over this!!!
    via Sharkbitesandwich
  • 18
    JGLip88 13 hr. ago I have a 3000 square foot home and have paid for an 8 hour deep clean of my home for 350 dollars. No way a 1 bedroom apartment takes 8 hours to clean.
    via JGLip88
  • 19
    • Feisty_Bee4126 · 10 hr. ago I had a studio and before I left the property manager walked me through how at least I'm CA regardless of condition I was going to get charged a cleaning fee, she broke down
    via Feisty_Bee4126
  • 20
    the numbers I think it was 150-200 for a studio and 200 - 250 for a 1 Bed back in 2020/21 I still left it clean but not ocd clean, I then rented a room and got my entire deposit back from the owner
    via Feisty_Bee4126
  • 21
    of the house even though one of the command strips removed some paint in a 2 - 4 sq in area, to me that makes sense but never lived in Florida perhaps it's cheaper
    via Feisty_Bee4126
  • 22
    . Economy_Proof_7668 · 21 hr. ago In CA there's a huge fine for landlords trying to falsely claim damages... check out the state and county codes there... call county housing authority
    via Economy_Proof_7668
  • 23
    citizensyn ⚫ 21 hr. ago At the absolute minimum any court would look at that cleaning the ducts and laugh off and demand your their refund
    via citizensyn
  • 24
    JazzyButternuts · 22 hr. ago Send the landlord notice you will sue in small claims court if your entire deposit is not returned. Look up and cite all the rental laws for normal wear and tear.
    via JazzyButternuts
  • 25
    luckyartie 17 hr. ago You are NOT responsible for normal wear and tear. Stand firm! Signed, a landlord
    via luckyartie

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landlord broke student students tenants revenge tenant greedy deposit renting Reddit payback college Renters
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